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How proficient before next language?

 Language Learning Forum : General discussion Post Reply
14 messages over 2 pages: 1
shk00design
Triglot
Senior Member
Canada
Joined 4204 days ago

747 posts - 1123 votes 
Speaks: Cantonese*, English, Mandarin
Studies: French

 
 Message 9 of 14
06 May 2015 at 1:46pm | IP Logged 
Depends on the individual. Personally I prefer to study a language to an advanced level before proceeding to
another. On the other hand, I was brought up in another country and relocated. Before my English became
proficient, French was in the school curriculum. Some people like Moses McCormick the polyglot like to study
5 languages at a time.
1 person has voted this message useful



Luso
Hexaglot
Senior Member
Portugal
Joined 5821 days ago

819 posts - 1812 votes 
Speaks: Portuguese*, French, EnglishC2, GermanB1, Italian, Spanish
Studies: Sanskrit, Arabic (classical)

 
 Message 10 of 14
06 May 2015 at 5:08pm | IP Logged 
Talib wrote:
When learning multiple languages, how proficient do you like to be in one language before moving on to the next?


I'd say it depends on:

a) How much the new language is related to the ones you already speak (including your mother language): closer => easier => less stress => you can start earlier

b) How much time you are dedicating to the one you are currently learning: are you actively investing in it or is it just maintenance? High investment => less availability => hold on a bit longer

c) How the two are related: not over-emphasising interference, if your knowledge of L2 is still shaky, do you really need the confusion L3 brings? Closer but weak => confusion => hold on a bit longer


Considering these factors (and probably others you can come up with), I'd say you can move along a continuum between B1 and C1. I can see no instance where you should wait for C2, and A1 or A2 is more or less tantamount to beginning the two at the same time.


Talib wrote:
Do you ever begin learning two or more languages at the same time?

No, but that's more of a personal choice. If I were to start, say, Catalan and Romanian, to add to my Romance languages, I'd probably be able to manage it. Not ideally, but it would be feasible.

I guess many forum members could even do a lot better, but they are a rare breed. ;)

In any case, one would have to play into his/her strengths and be motivated.
6 persons have voted this message useful



Cavesa
Triglot
Senior Member
Czech Republic
Joined 4769 days ago

3277 posts - 6779 votes 
Speaks: Czech*, FrenchC2, EnglishC1
Studies: Spanish, German, Italian

 
 Message 11 of 14
07 May 2015 at 4:23pm | IP Logged 
I was about to write something like Luso's post (thanks for wording it better, Luso).

I would add one point:

-How much do you need the second language. If you just need to learn two languages
because of travel and job opportunities that are at the reach of your hand, go for it.

As I've recently discovered, it would have been extremely awesome had I added basics
of Hungarian to the languages I am currently learning. Really, even the low levels
like A1/A2 can be extremely benefitial in some situations, while it is usually
unimportant whether you reach C1 in your original TL now or in a year.

From my experience, you can start two languages at once, if you've got the free time.
If not, than keep to one.
1 person has voted this message useful



iguanamon
Pentaglot
Senior Member
Virgin Islands
Speaks: Ladino
Joined 5022 days ago

2237 posts - 6731 votes 
Speaks: English*, Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Creole (French)

 
 Message 12 of 14
07 May 2015 at 6:41pm | IP Logged 
My two cents worth: There are different categories of learners- experienced learners and those who have yet to learn a second language. For experienced adult language learners, I can't say it any better than Luso. If one is an adult raw beginner who has yet to learn at least one second language to a high level on their own, then I don't recommend starting multiple language study.

There are many reasons, primarily having to do with said lack of experience in how languages work and how one may learn best individually. Learning one language to a high level (as an adult- student learning is different because of enforced structure and routine in a school environment) is like giving one's self a huge gift that will pay multiple dividends in other, even non-related, languages. Dealing with multiple languages at less than intermediate levels is quite a lot to have on one's plate as a raw beginner in language-learning, in my opinion. Not that it can't be done and not that it can't be fun, it is probably not as an efficient way to learn a language. Those raw beginners who are successful doing this are rare here in my years on the forum. Of course, there are exceptions to any rule, observation or opinion.
5 persons have voted this message useful



daegga
Tetraglot
Senior Member
Austria
lang-8.com/553301
Joined 4281 days ago

1076 posts - 1792 votes 
Speaks: German*, EnglishC2, Swedish, Norwegian
Studies: Danish, French, Finnish, Icelandic

 
 Message 13 of 14
07 May 2015 at 6:49pm | IP Logged 
The more relevant questions are: Do I want to study another language (NOW)? Can I make time to study another language?
This implicitly answers the original question: it depends.
2 persons have voted this message useful



Solfrid Cristin
Heptaglot
Winner TAC 2011 & 2012
Senior Member
Norway
Joined 5094 days ago

4143 posts - 8864 votes 
Speaks: Norwegian*, Spanish, Swedish, French, English, German, Italian
Studies: Russian

 
 Message 14 of 14
28 June 2015 at 11:37am | IP Logged 
For me it depends how close a new language would be to my main focus language. At the moment my main
focus language is Russian. That means that I do not hesitate to dabble in languages from other language
families, but I have stayed away from Polish, which I would like to be my next main language, because I need
to speak Russian first.


1 person has voted this message useful



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